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In this final episode with UGP co-host of 4 years, Joel Groat leaves us with his almost 40 years of experience witnessing to individuals who are in performance-based religion, particularly the LDS faith. He encourages Christians not to let knowledge get in the way of developing relationships and continuing conversations with LDS that are motivated by love. For LDS, coming to Jesus can be a long process. Joel explains the two major changes in the LDS Church over his years of witnessing are 1) unlike the past, LDS now boldly declare they are Christians, too, and 2) LDS history and doctrine are more easily accessible to church members than in the past. We are challenged to witness with compassion and concern with what Joel calls a heart of peace and not a heart of war. The Institute for Religious Research website, the organization he directed for many years, continues with decades of good witnessing information.

IRR.org



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In this final episode, Daniel shares his growing disenchantment with atheism and its lack of integrity and untrustworthiness with the historical facts. As he studies more and also begins attending some Christian churches, he discovers how Christian beliefs and relationships have been misrepresented by his Mormon religion. Brought face to face with the undeniable evidence for Jesus' resurrection and the incredible love and grace God is offering him in Jesus, Daniel decides to accept Jesus with both his head and his heart. The experience with a grace that saves and heals is unlike any he's ever had. See the show notes for Daniel's top picks for books that provide compelling evidence for the existence of God and the resurrection of Jesus.



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Daniel and Edith have hit a crisis in marriage and faith. Daniel can no longer ignore the evidence Edith has shared with him, and his experience as a lawyer has trained him to follow the evidence to the truth - wherever that leads. The conclusion is undeniable - Mormonism cannot be true. While Edith knows Jesus is real, Daniel takes a deep dive into agnosticism and atheism, which really scares Edith. But Daniel can't leave Jesus alone and so he reads widely on both sides, ultimately concluding Jesus was a real person and the Gospels are authentic accounts of his life. But what will this mean for his faith? It's a roller coaster ride for them both and grace is never far away.



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Daniel and Edith get married and live the happy Mormon life, complete with work, kids and a temple marriage. But for Edith, there are certain LDS teachings that don't match her reality. She's living the Mormon commandments but not being blessed. Meanwhile, close friends who are not Mormon live out their faith in Christ by loving others, drink coffee and wine, and are experiencing tremendous blessing in their lives. What gives? Daniel, in the meantime, as a Mormon bishop, is trying to ignore his wife's troubling questions. They both research the issues on the LDS church website and soon conclude much of what they were taught their whole life was a lie. Can grace keep their faith in God intact?



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Daniel returns from his LDS mission to find Edith is now a single mother. Disappointed, he leaves her to go to BYU. A while later he returns and asks her to marry him, and she reluctantly agrees. But once engaged, the pain of judgment from the LDS community continues. In part 2, they navigate the pressures and expectations of the Mormon religious system while they look forward to a marriage his parents do not approve of. How and when will grace invade their lives?



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Daniel was a bishop and from a multi-generational highly regarded family. Edith, his wife, was a multi-generational Mormon as well, but with a less than stellar past. In this series we hear their stories of how God brought them together, kept them together, and rescued them from the treadmill of performance religion. In part 1, Edith shares candidly and with great vulnerability how devastating it can be to fail within the LDS religious system.



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In these next two episodes Joel and Lynn look at 5 Cs for Interfaith and Intercultural Engagement. When these 5 Cs are motivating and informing your relationships, engaging with others from an intimidating religious background can feel more relaxed and comfortable than you thought possible. It won’t feel forced, or manipulative, or salesy, or scary. Well, maybe a little scary. After all, pursuing anything of value involves risk and putting yourself out there. Just let that flutter in your stomach remind you our confidence rests ultimately in God, his love, and his ability to transform lives from the inside out. You can help others experience a grace that heals.



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In these next two episodes Joel and Lynn look at 5 Cs for Interfaith and Intercultural Engagement. When these 5 Cs are motivating and informing your relationships, engaging with others from an intimidating religious background can feel more relaxed and comfortable than you thought possible. It won’t feel forced, or manipulative, or salesy, or scary. Well, maybe a little scary. After all, pursuing anything of value involves risk and putting yourself out there. Just let that flutter in your stomach remind you our confidence rests ultimately in God, his love, and his ability to transform lives from the inside out. You can help others experience a grace that heals.



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Mike and Lynn Wilder were dedicated, temple-worthy, faithful Mormons. When their son Micah discovered the saving, healing grace of Jesus on his LDS mission, he encouraged his parents to read the Bible, with the open, trusting eyes of a child. They did, and what they discovered led them to leave their LDS faith and write the book, 7 Reasons We Left Mormonism. In this series, Joel and Lynn explore these seven reasons and why they can be life changing for Christians and Mormons alike. In this final episode, Mike Wilder joins Joel for Reason 7 and provides a quick recap of the previous 6 reasons. It's an excellent summary of why the LDS Church can not be accepted as the one and only true church and the teaching of the Bible it clearly denies.



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Mike and Lynn Wilder were dedicated, temple-worthy, faithful Mormons. When their son Micah discovered the saving, healing grace of Jesus on his LDS mission, he encouraged his parents to read the Bible, with the open, trusting eyes of a child. They did, and what they discovered led them to leave their LDS faith and write the book, 7 Reasons We Left Mormonism. In this series, Joel and Lynn explore these seven reasons and why they can be life changing for Christians and Mormons alike. Mike Wilder joins Joel for Reason 7 exploring the Mormon teaching that the LDS church is the only true church that exists on earth today, and why what Jesus said about the church negates that affirmation.



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Tensions escalate as Jason moves toward Jesus and away from the LDS religion until Jason's boss reveals he too has doubts about Mormonism. Together they explore Scripture and find grace and truth and Jason finds his anger dissipating. Meanwhile, Amber's world is rocked by discovering Lucifer's role in the Mormon temple ceremony. In the end, they both find grace, bringing new peace to their relationships with God and each other.



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Jason and Amber traced their LDS ancestry back to the 1800s. They were multi-generation LDS, married in the temple, committed, stalwart Mormons until ... Jason's experiences within the LDS leadership hierarchy, coupled with personal research into LDS history caused him to re-evaluate the claims of his Mormon faith. Suddenly they are a house divided, and Amber fears losing everything that's most important. In part 1 they candidly share their journeys, struggles, and what happens when Amber calls in an LDS General Authority to talk to Jason about his concerns. Can grace bring them back together? Join us this week and next to find out.


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Raised in a 4th generation polygamist family, polygamy was the only life Teresa knew. She had three moms and dozens of siblings. When Teresa was 14, the FLDS prophet, Warren Jeffs, gave her to an older man and she became his tenth wife. In this humourous and moving final episode she finds faith in a God who truly loves her. It happens at a church service she reluctantly attended with her sister. She embraces this new life with God, but it is an unexpected tragedy that ultimately binds her heart to Jesus and allows her to experience the transforming power of God in her life. The conclusion of her story contains the key to true happiness in this life and the next.



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Raised in a 4th generation polygamist family, polygamy was the only life Teresa knew. She had three moms and dozens of siblings. When Teresa was 14, the FLDS prophet, Warren Jeffs, gave her to an older man and she became his tenth wife. In this episode she talks about life after the raid, defying authority, swearing off men, and meeting the love of her life. She's angry about a lot of things, but God is at work behind the scenes.



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Raised in a 4th generation polygamist family, polygamy was the only life Teresa knew. She had three moms and dozens of siblings. When Teresa was 14, the FLDS prophet, Warren Jeffs, gave her to an older man and she became his tenth wife. In this episode she talks about moving to the Texas FLDS compound, the raid by law enforcement, and being taken away from her family for over a year. God is on the move in her life, even though she is still unaware how much Jesus truly loves her.



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Raised in a 4th generation polygamist family, polygamy was the only life Teresa knew. She had three moms and dozens of siblings. She watched as her older sisters got "turned over to Warren Jeffs, the Prophet," and he decided if he wanted to keep her or marry her off to someone else. When Teresa was 14 Jeffs gave her to an older man and she became his tenth wife. In this episode she talks about the trauma of their first nights together, and how the adults who should have protected her helped perpetuate the abuse.



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Raised in a 4th generation polygamist family, polygamy was the only life Teresa knew. She had three moms and dozens of siblings. She watched as her older sisters got "turned over to Warren Jeffs, the Prophet," and he decided if he wanted to keep her or marry her off to someone else. When Teresa was 14 Jeffs gave her to an older man and she became his tenth wife. This series is a fascinating and heartbreaking insider look at life under the control of Mormon cult leader Warren Jeffs, and how he ruled people's lives without even being present, perpetuating sexual abuse that bordered on slavery for many women, including girls in their early teens.



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Raised in a 4th generation polygamist family, polygamy was the only life Teresa knew. She had three moms and dozens of siblings. She watched as her older sisters got "turned over to Warren Jeffs, the Prophet," and he decided if he wanted to keep her or marry her off to someone else. To disagree or challenge the prophet was to disagree with God and lose any hope of salvation or eternal life. Warren Jeffs dictated clothing, food, housing, entertainment, and even who was worthy to be taught by him. This series is a fascinating and heartbreaking insider look at life under the control of Mormon cult leader Warren Jeffs, and how he ruled people's lives without even being present, perpetuating sexual abuse that bordered on slavery for many women, including girls in their early teens.



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Mike and Lynn Wilder were dedicated, temple-worthy, faithful Mormons. When their son Micah discovered the saving, healing grace of Jesus on his LDS mission, he encouraged his parents to read the Bible, with the open, trusting eyes of a child. They did, and what they discovered led them to leave their LDS faith and write the book, 7 Reasons We Left Mormonism. In this series, Joel and Lynn explore these seven reasons and why they can be life changing for Christians and Mormons alike. Part 4 looks at Reasons 6, exploring the Mormon Scripture that Joseph used to justify his many wives, and was used to make Mormon polygamy essential for eternal life and godhood.



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Mike and Lynn Wilder were dedicated, temple-worthy, faithful Mormons. When their son Micah discovered the saving, healing grace of Jesus on his LDS mission, he encouraged his parents to read the Bible, with the open, trusting eyes of a child. They did, and what they discovered led them to write the book, 7 Reasons We Left Mormonism. In this series, Joel and Lynn explore these seven reasons and why they can be life changing for Christians and Mormons alike. Part 3 looks at Reasons 5, exploring the essential nature of LDS Temple Ordinances in order to have salvation and eternal life.


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